Nation

IIE DIGITAL DESK ; New Delhi, June 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi departed for France and Slovakia on Saturday morning for an important diplomatic visit that will continue from June 13 to June 18. The Prime Minister left New Delhi on a special aircraft and is scheduled to hold high-level bilateral discussions with French President Emmanuel Macron and Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico. During his visit, he will also participate in the G7 Summit in France and attend the Vivatech technology event in Paris.

The Ministry of External Affairs, Prime Minister Modi will begin his visit from the French city of Nice, where he will meet President Emmanuel Macron on June 14. The two leaders are expected to review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations under the India-France Special Strategic Partnership. They will also jointly inaugurate the “India Innovates” event, which will bring together startups and venture capital funds from India, France and several other countries. The programme is being organized as part of the India-France Innovation Year initiative.

The invitation of Prime Minister Robert Fico, Prime Minister Modi will travel to Slovakia from June 14 to June 16. This will be the first visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Slovakia since the country gained independence in 1993. During the visit, Modi will hold discussions with Robert Fico and meet Slovak President Peter Pellegrini.

The discussions between the leaders are expected to focus on expanding cooperation in several sectors, including trade, investment, automobile manufacturing, railway production and other areas of mutual interest. The visit is considered an important step towards strengthening India’s engagement with Slovakia and deepening economic and strategic ties between the two countries.

Before departing for the two-nation tour, Prime Minister Modi shared a message on X, stating that over the next few days he would visit France and Slovakia and participate in several programmes, including bilateral and multilateral meetings and interactions with members of the Indian diaspora. He said that the main objective of the visit would be to further strengthen economic and cultural relations.

Modi further highlighted that the visit would begin with engagements in Nice, including the significant “India Innovates” programme in the presence of President Macron. As India and France celebrate the India-France Innovation Year, the event is expected to serve as a vibrant platform bringing together innovators, startups and key stakeholders from the world of innovation.

The Prime Minister added that his meeting with President Macron would provide an opportunity to review the India-France Special Strategic Partnership and discuss ways to further enhance cooperation in various fields. The visit is expected to strengthen India’s diplomatic, technological and economic partnerships with both France and Slovakia while reinforcing its role in important global forums such as the G7 Summit.